AYODHYA: Devotees wearing colourful robes and costumes poured into India's Ayodhya on Friday (Jan 19) ahead of the grand opening of one of the holiest temples dedicated to Lord Ram, a deity worshipped by millions of Hindus.
One devotee, dressed as the Hindu monkey god Hanuman, said he had travelled from Nepal. Another arrived on a motorbike and said he had spent the past three years touring around India spreading messages related to Hinduism.
Ayodhya made international headlines in 1992 when a Hindu mob razed Babri mosque — where the temple now stands — saying it had been built on the site of an earlier Hindu temple. The incident spurred nationwide riots that left 2,000 people dead.
In 2019, the Supreme Court handed over the land to Hindus after a protracted legal battle, and construction of the temple began in 2020.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over Monday's (January 22) inauguration of the Ram Mandir. — Reuters